Tanzania denies suspected Marburg outbreak after WHO alert
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In recent years, hundreds of people, nearly all in Africa, have died from the virus.
Tanzania Rejects Marburg Outbreak Report After WHO Alert
Tanzania has denied a World Health Organization (WHO) report about a suspected Marburg virus outbreak in its north-western region. The WHO had raised concerns on Tuesday, stating that nine suspected cases, including eight deaths, were reported over the last five days in the Kagera region. However, the Tanzanian government quickly dismissed these claims, asserting that the suspected cases had tested negative for the Marburg virus.
In a statement, Tanzanian Health Minister Jenista Mhagama confirmed that laboratory tests on samples from the suspected cases had come back negative. She reassured the international community, including the WHO, that Tanzania’s surveillance systems and disease monitoring efforts had been strengthened. Mhagama added, “We would like to assure the international organisations, including WHO, that we shall always keep them up to date with ongoing developments.”
The recent alert by WHO brought back concerns of the Marburg virus, which is a highly infectious disease similar to Ebola. Marburg’s symptoms include fever, muscle pains, diarrhoea, vomiting, and, in severe cases, death due to extreme blood loss. Tanzania’s first Marburg outbreak occurred in March 2023 in the Bukoba district, where six people died over the course of nearly two months.
WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus commented on the situation, warning of the potential for further cases in the coming days as disease surveillance efforts in the region improved. He mentioned that patients, including healthcare workers, had been identified and were under close monitoring. The WHO also reported that Tanzania’s rapid response teams had been deployed to Kagera to identify suspected cases and contain the spread of the virus.
Dr. Tedros also expressed concern about the risk of Marburg spreading, citing Kagera’s location as a transit hub with significant cross-border movement to neighboring countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Burundi, and Rwanda. However, he clarified that the WHO did not recommend travel or trade restrictions with Tanzania at that time. The WHO classified the global risk from the suspected outbreak as “low,” and there were no current concerns about the disease spreading internationally.
The Tanzanian health minister stated that a team of experts was immediately sent to the Kagera region to collect specimens and investigate the situation. After thorough testing, the results definitively ruled out the possibility of a Marburg outbreak. However, Mhagama did not specify the exact number of suspected cases that were investigated.
The Marburg virus is transmitted to humans primarily from fruit bats, and then spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals. Although there are no specific treatments or vaccines for the virus at present, research and clinical trials are ongoing to develop potential therapies and vaccines.
The WHO had previously warned that the risk of the virus spreading in the region remained high, given Kagera’s proximity to borders with several countries. Nevertheless, Tanzania’s swift response, which included deploying rapid response teams and strengthening surveillance efforts, played a key role in addressing the situation. The Tanzanian government remains committed to transparency and regular updates on any developments.
This report from Tanzania comes on the heels of a Marburg outbreak in neighboring Rwanda, which was declared over in December 2023. That outbreak had infected 66 people and resulted in 15 deaths. With Marburg outbreaks being relatively rare, the disease has a high fatality rate, killing an average of half of those it infects, according to the WHO.
While Tanzania has successfully ruled out a Marburg outbreak for now, the country and the international community remain vigilant. Public health experts continue to monitor the situation closely, particularly in regions with high risk of cross-border transmission. Given the deadly nature of the disease and the lack of specific treatments, continued efforts to improve disease surveillance and response are essential to preventing further outbreaks and protecting public health in the region.
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